Israel under huge pressure to avoid Iran attack
Israel is coming under increased pressure from Washington and Europe to hold off from attacking Iran over its disputed nuclear drive and allow time for a regime of tight international sanctions to kick in.
Pressure is being exerted from all directions, officials acknowledge, with Washington’s concern over a pre-emptive Israeli strike reflected in the steady stream of senior officials arriving in Jerusalem for top-level talks.
The latest visitor was US National Security Adviser Tom Donilon, who on Sunday held a two-hour meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and held similar in-depth talks with Defence Minister Ehud Barak, whose “hawkish line” on Iran is worrying Washington, Haaretz newspaper reported yesterday.
Later this week, US intelligence chief James Clapper is also due to arrive, press reports said. Barak, Netanyahu’s de facto deputy, has been “summoned” to Washington next week, media reports said, ahead of a visit by the premier himself on March 5.
“Israel is under pressure from all sides. The Americans don’t want to be surprised and faced with a fait accompli of an Israeli attack,” a senior Israeli official said.
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Paul Caruana
Feb 21st, 12:46
Indeed, this is a very arkward situation. While one sympathises with the Israeli position (let us not forget that it is the official government position of Iran that Israel should not even exist!), an Israeli attack will only make things worse politically, with the Iranian regime gaining sympathy support (which it definately does not deserve). At the same time there is some doubt as to what extent an Israeli airstrike would be effective long term in denying Iran nuclear weapons.
Finally there is the issue of Israel already having, in its possession, nuclear weapons! Again, the Israelis will say that, considering the extremely hostile neighbourhood, they have no other choice except to arm themselves to the teeth. Without going into the merits of this, somewhat true, but also convenient, Israeli claim, the fact remains that from Iran's point of view, why should the international community allow only Israel to own nuclear weapons in the middle east?
Martin Cassar
Feb 21st, 13:48
True Iran is not a democratic country, however we must not forget the fact that most if not all wars (including nuclear wars and war crimes) during the past century along with financial disasters we are facing today are results of irresponsible politics of democratic countries.
Having said that I ask, can experts from IAEA visit, or point a finger at the Zionists nuclear arsenal which constitute insatiability in the whole region Iran included?. Perhaps, the Zionists above law, or the Zionists nuclear arsenal are off-IAEA's radar?
The whole thing about Iran is quite simple and far from any threat. At the brink-of-collapse Western powers are keen to safeguard the energy resources in the Middle East and minor Asia while at the same providing immunity to the illegal Zionists occupation in what’s called Israel. This illegal occupation by the victims of Hitler’s Holocausts is, logically, historically and geographically rejected given the fact that [the Jew State] is illegally established. Israel is synthetic state and the count down for such historical ugly accident has begun with or with-out any wars, with or without a nuclear Iran!
Does Iran have right for self defense? What I mean, in 2003-while North Korea was carrying out nuclear tests, putting USA major cities within its nuclear long-range missiles and defying the International community, the (USA) went to attack Iraq instead searching for the never existed so never found Mass Destruction Weapons. Wasn’t the message sent by the USA clear enough to read: If you don’t have a deterrent weapon you have no place on planet Earth?
In a nutshell, the whole thing about Iran’s nuclear weapons is in reality about selling military equipment and energy business and to a certain extent fulfilling a Biblical prophecy for what’s called a Jew state.
Mr D.S. Scott
Feb 21st, 12:21
When Syria's president - the murderer Bashir al Assad - and his 10 % minority Alawite Shite sect are brought down to size, Iran will be a bit less of a bully. Ahmadinejaad and the thieving Shite Muslim clique in Kum (Iran) had better heed the calls for democracy from their own people. Quite a few know how Iran's muslim rulers funnel a chunk of the nations wealth for their own benefit.
John Portelli
Feb 21st, 11:45
NO MORE ZIONIST WARS
John Portelli
Feb 21st, 11:44
what a load of lies
P Sciberras
Feb 21st, 10:29
Israel is the only country in the world that has an open check to attack any country it wants.